Collaborative Post
Getting outside is so important for us as a family. Whether we are just going for a family walk or a full day out exploring a place like Cheddar Gorge, it is vital we get that time together outside and especially the kids.
Both my kids are very outdoorsy types but it can sometimes be difficult to get the kids off the sofa and actually outside. We have been doing a lot of travelling around the UK in the past year – both on short breaks and days out – and this has proved the perfect time to get them outdoors and away from the TV and other electronic devices.
We are extremely lucky to live in a village which has plenty of wide open green space. We actually live less than a minute away from the village common which is great – we have to walk across it twice a day just to do the school run and often visit it during the weekends and school holidays as well. This is really handy as the house we live in has such a small garden so the kids only have a slide and a few garden toys out there. Even so, when the weather is great they are constantly out there!
Despite it being a small village, there are plenty of parks with outdoor play equipment in and we try our best to utilise them as much as possible. We tend to visit the one on our local common most often as it is closest but have been known to take a trek around the village and stop at the other ones. We try to walk different ways around the village too so we aren’t doing the same route day in, day out!
Something I want to do even more of next year is to spend more time outside with the kids. Whether that is heading to the park, going on a woodland trail or exploring new places, it is my major resolution. Being outside not only has benefits for their physical health – all that fresh air and walking is always going to do them good – but it is also good for their mental health and their learning. Children can learn so much from being outside, whether that is about nature or visiting interesting places.
You don’t even have to go to the park or visit educational places. Do your children like to play a particular sport or have a certain hobby? Jack used to love football so we always used to take him out to have a kick around. He has recently followed in his Dad’s footsteps and really enjoys playing golf so Steve will often take him up to the driving range so he can hit a few balls or actually take him round with him and his uncle for a round of golf. There really is so much choice in how to get your child outside and enjoying themselves.
With the winter here, we aren’t getting out as much as we would like due to the weather being so awful. I am still trying to make being outdoors as fun as possible though – getting the kids to look for painted rocks and even tasking them with finding other items. I can’t wait for the weather to get better!
How do you encourage your kids to get outdoors?
We love the outdoors, but due to such awful weather we haven’t been going out so much. But now that things are becoming a little brighter I can’t wait to try and plan for more exploring. Oh we love painting rocks, so that’s the best of both worlds really.
We spend most of our time outdoors, whether they are in the garden, walking the dog, visiting national trust sites, the park, the beach…infact we are never indoors!
We like to spend some time outdoors every day, especially when we are with our granddaughter. We live a couple of miles from the sea, so like to visit the beach in all sorts of weather. We often do a scavenger hunt, or look for seashells that we can use in our crafting activities.
We are always outdoors, we love it! Going to National Trust places, walks in the woods and to the beach are some of our favourites.
I think even when I was younger I loved being outdoors regardless of the weather and it seems my nephew is the same.
We are members of the national trust who have some lovely walks near us that the kids love doing. It helps if there is something for them to see or do